Family Man
by DreamSprite
Summary: He drank heavily, smoked more than a chimney and had a love for fighting that was in no way healthy. Despite all that Logan found himself stepping into a father’s shoes that he knew did't fit him, One shot that didn't want to be left alone.
1. Family Man

I don't own the characters, that's why it's called a fanfiction

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For a man who prided himself on his independence Logan was surprised at how little it took for him to become attached to those who called the mansion home. When most of them arrived at the school they were fresh off the street with nothing but the clothes on their back to their name. Their faces were usually dirty and their stomachs were almost always empty. All of them had a look in their eyes that spoke of hard lives and lost innocents. He knew that no matter how many showers they took or how much food Storm shoved towards them, their eyes would never reflect their age and that fact kept him in the danger room for an extra hour each week.

He wasn't sure when he became so protective of the students. He blamed it on his instincts, after all it was only natural that an adult male would feel a need to look after and defend the younger members of his pack. Of course he disregarded the fact that his "pack" was full of mutants who were highly skilled with their powers as well as trained by him in hand-to-hand combat. It didn't matter to him that the students were fully capable of taking care of themselves, they were his kids.

Logan wasn't the sort of man who thought of himself as a father figure. He drank heavily, smoked more than a chimney and had a love for fighting that was in no way healthy. Despite all that he found himself stepping in to a father's shoes that he knew didn't fit him. While he would never admit it to anyone he was bothered that a man like him filled in the gap. Their own fathers should have been the ones to guide the students through the trials of life, not him.

He shouldn't have been the one to take Kitty to the school's father daughter dance. He shouldn't have been the one to teach Kurt how to fix an engine or show Scott how to use power tools. Logan knew he shouldn't have been the one to give Rogue her first beer after a particularly grueling mission that ended in her having the memories of a serial killer. He was damn sure that he shouldn't have been the one to give Jamie the sex talk.

If life was fair then his kids never would have left their homes to begin with. They would be with their friends and families, worrying about homework and acne and other teenage problems. The girls would be going to cheerleading tryouts, having their hearts broken by high school sweethearts and spending all their free time in a mall. The boys would be working on rust buckets that were pathetic excuses for cars, trying to impress some girl through sports and rebelling against their parents.

But life wasn't perfect and instead of living like normal people the teenagers were dodging hate groups on a daily basis. They spent hours training for battles against insane mutant terrorists. They used their weekends to learn how to fly airplanes and hack into government databases. While others their age were looking for prom dresses his girls were looking for uniforms that didn't constrict their fighting. If he let himself stop and think about the lost childhoods he would go crazy.

At first he slipped into the role of overprotective father with the grace of a lumberjack. It took him a while to figure out how the 'dad' thing worked. The first time Kitty cried on his shoulder was awkward and uncomfortable, by the third time he figured out all he had to do was place a hand on her back and offer to take her out for ice cream. When Bobby came to him with girl trouble he was drew a blank but quickly recovered with a handful of men's magazines. He didn't even attempt to help with the girls 'personal' problems that came about once a month, pushing them towards Storm instead. As time went by he managed to figure things out, being surrounded by teenagers who had more relationship problems and emotional drama then a soap opera helped.

The one thing he couldn't figure out how to deal with was when the students began to date. He insisted they were too young but the Professor allowed it, stating they deserved to have a little bit of normalcy in their teenage years. At least when their partners were fellow mutants living at the mansion he could keep an eye on the couples and the threat of extra danger room sessions kept raging hormones in check.

Unfortunately his preference was never considered and many of the girls had managed to attract human suitors. Because of that he spent his Friday and Saturday nights sitting on the front porch of the mansion's main entrance; a half empty beer sitting at his feet and a shotgun across his lap, cleaning rag in hand. This Friday nigh was no different and at the sound of a car coming down the driveway he paused and looked up. The car was noting special and the young man driving it looked like your average teenager. The boy didn't look older then seventeen and he nervously rubbed the back of his neck as he neared Logan. Continuing with his cleaning Logan could smell fear coming off the boy in waves.

"Who are you here for?"

The boy visibly jumped at Logan's harsh voice.

"Amara"

Logan couldn't help but smirk, the kid was putting up a brave front but he could see right trough him, the boy was scared shitless."

"When do you plan on bringing her home?"

"I was thinking midnight."

Logan nodded his head as if in agreement.

"I was thinking ten."

He ended his sentence with snapping the twin barrels into place. The boy's eyes filled with panic and he took a step back, nearly falling down the steps.

"Yes sir, ten sounds great."

He managed to stutter out. Logan smirked and picked up his beer, leaning back in his chair before taking a drink, his hand resting on the gun.

"That's good to hear."

Three minuets passed in awkward silence as the boy tried to look anywhere but Logan while he just ignored him and continued to clean his gun. Finally Amara opened the door and Logan could hear the sigh of relief.

"You weren't being mean to Jake were you?"

She asked Logan as she linked arms with the now identified Jake.

"Course not darlin, just passing the time while he waited for you."

He locked eyes with the boy as if daring him to say otherwise. Unwilling to contradict Logan Jake quickly agreed before leading her to his car and opening the door for her. He might reek of fear but at least he was a gentleman. As the taillights disappeared down the road Logan finished off his beer and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the night. Looking at his watch he began the countdown, Jake had three hours.

It was 10:12 when the couple returned. Even in the darkness Logan could see they were both smiling. At first Jake didn't notice Logan but the closer they came to the door the glowing of his cigar broke through the darkness and illuminated his scowling face. Not wanting to look bad in front of Amara he tried to stay calm.

"Good night Jake, I had a great time."

She kissed his cheek and said good night to Logan before disappearing into the mansion. Jake tried to leave as soon as she was gone but any hope of escaping without a confrontation were quickly dashed.

"I said 10:00 and by my watch you're late."

He growled out, his arms crossed over his chest and the cigar still dangling out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry, there was traffic!"

Jake quickly backed down the steps his hands up in a defensive manner, even though he knew full well that he didn't stand a chance in a fight against Logan.

"I don't care, we agreed on a time and you were late. That tells me I can't trust you and if I can't trust you then I don't want to see you around here again."

He finished his sentence with a growl and the loud cracking of his knuckles. The boy's eyes grew wide and he stumbled into his car. The tires spun and soon the smell of burnt rubber and black tire marks on the drive way were the only signs that he had been there at all.

Grinning to himself Logan pulled out one of his claws and used it to scratch a tally mark into one of the columns.

"How many does that make?"

Rogue had joined him just in to see Amara's date speed away. She took a seat on the railing next to his empty chair.

"Eight this month Stripes."

He said it with a proud grin as he leaned against the railing, stubbing his cigar out.

"At this rate no one's gonna want to date any of us x-girls."

He let out a short laugh.

"I doubt that, all the boys in this town are idiots and you girls flirt too much."

He let her push him away as she fringed being insulted.

"Ah don't know, you might just scare them all away at this rate."

She nodded towards his tally marks. The cuts were already in the twenties.

"When that happens I'll sleep easier."

Rogue tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Gambit's been sneaking onto the grounds at night and throwin rocks at my window. Do ya think you could make him stop?"

There was something evil about her smile.

"You just made my night kid."

He threw his arm over her shoulders and led her inside. Sure they said he was overbearing and some claimed he violated the Geneva Convention with his training sessions but none of that really mattered to him. These kids needed him even if they didn't know it.

Besides the job had its perks and one of them was chasing off a certain Cajun.


	2. Nightmares

They all had nightmares. It was the price they paid for the lives they lived. You couldn't fight the evil of the world without seeing its effect on mankind and every X-Man had grown up faster then their human peers. During the day they hid from their fears behind overly happy attitudes and longer hours in the Danger Room. It was at night that they couldn't hide from their demons as easily. Of course come morning everyone acted like they were fine but Logan could always tell by the dark circles under tired eyes and the lingering smell of fear. At least twice a week he would hear someone's muffled sobs as he made his security rounds, but unless their dreams caused their powers to act up he left them alone. The young mutants liked to think they could hide their non-power related problems from the adults and for their peace of mind Logan was willing to overlook a second cup of coffee during breakfast. After all he was in no position to call them out when many of his own nights were plagued with broken memories and terrifying images.

Overtime Logan had learned more about the younger mutants then he cared to admit. Besides their fighting abilities, eating habits and taste in music (which he thought was sorely lacking) Logan knew what most of their nightmares were about, not surprisingly they were usually related to their powers. Once in a while he would come across a mutant in the kitchen late at night and without really asking they would tell him about their dreams. Sometimes he wondered if they confided in him because they knew of his own sleep issues.

It was a little after two a.m. and so far the night had been quiet. As Logan walked around the mansion grounds the smell of tobacco caught his nose. At first he thought it was the Cajun stalking Rogue again but the smoke didn't have the same strong spice he associated with the red eyed mutant. Cautiously he followed the sent to the back deck and was surprised to see Scott Summers with a lit cigarette between his lips.

Scott seemed equally surprised to see Logan but that didn't stop him from taking a drag and blowing the smoke out the side of his mouth. As Logan walked closer to where Scott was sitting he noticed his ruffled hair and the way his hand shook as he tapped off the cigarette ashes into a nearby tray. Sitting down next to him Logan pulled out a cigar and Scott passed him a lighter without saying anything. The silence wasn't hostile but it wasn't exactly comfortable either as they filled the air around them with smoke. It wasn't until after Scott burned through his second cigarette that Logan felt the need to speak.

"You know those things will kill you."

While his statement should have come out as a warning it sounded like he was commenting on the weather, Scott just smirked.

"And fighting against mutant terrorists every other week doesn't shorten my life expectancy?"

Logan couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he nodded his head in agreement at the morbid joke.

"When did you take up smoking?"

Scott stubbed out his cigarette and reached for the pack sitting on the deck table for another.

"Along time ago. I quit when the professor took me in but you know what they say about old habits dying hard."

Scott flicked his lighter on and with the light so close to his face Logan could see how pale it looked. He also noticed how rough Scott's voice sounded, as if he had been screaming for hours.

"You want to talk about it?"

The words felt awkward as they fell from his mouth but he didn't regret saying them. Scott was the type a guy who didn't volunteer personal information without being encouraged.

"Jean asks me that too, no offense but what makes you think I'll tell you when I won't even tell her?"

Normally when one of the kids decided to be a smart ass he would take them to the Danger Room and set them straight but Logan didn't think that would work with Scott, at least not right now. There had to be something wrong if Scott Summers, Xavier's golden boy, was outside at two in the morning chain smoking.

"I'm not Jean and I'm not the Professor. If you want to talk I'll listen but if not that's fine by me."

Scott took a long drag from his cigarette as he scratched the back of his neck and mulled over Logan's words. Before they could slip back into silence Logan spoke again.

"I didn't think you could keep things from telepaths."

His statement was more curious then confrontational and Scott didn't even try to hide his grin.

"You can if you think really hard about something else, the Blackbird's wiring system is usually enough to keep Jean out."

"And the Professor?"

"Baseball scores, he's not big into sports and after two or three seasons of statistics he usually tunes out."

Logan nodded in approval and his respect for the young man grew a little.

"I'll have to try that sometime. I wonder how he'll like hockey."

Scott let out a short laugh then leaned back to rest his head against the chair, his half finished cigarette dangling out of his mouth. His smile fell slightly as he looked up at the stars. He finished off his cigarette and after setting it in the ash tray he didn't reach for another.

"Jean thinks she can help me deal with my past, but she doesn't understand."

He picked up his lighter and flicked it on and off a couple of times.

"She doesn't get that there are some things I don't want her to know about me, at least not yet."

Logan stubbed out his cigar and ran a hand over his face.

"She's been around the Professor too long, she's starting to act like him."

Scott laughed and the air between them grew less cold. As he regained control over his breathing Scott stared out towards the woods behind the mansion. Even though he was still smiling his face grew serious.

"I had a dream I was back at the orphanage. There was this closet in the basement we called the Hole. If we broke any rules we would get locked in it for as long as the headmaster saw fit."

He kept his focus on the dark woods to avoid Logan's gaze.

"It could be anything. Talking back, fighting, getting out of line, running away. My friend Tommy once got five hours for throwing a snowball at the cook. The longest I ever got was a full day."

Logan couldn't stop him self from asking.

"What did you do?"

Even in the darkness Logan could see Scott's eyebrows come together in a grimace.

"There was a fight and I won. I didn't know it was a board member's kid who was visiting with his dad but I doubt that would have stopped me anyway. I don't even remember what started it but it ended with him on the ground with a broken nose and me being thrown in the Hole."

As he finished he reached for his nearly empty pack and pulled out another cigarette, lit it and took a long drag.

"I was back in the Hole and everything was just as I remembered it. I could feel the cold stone wall against my back, smell the mold and hear the rats. It was so real."

He ended his sentence with another long drag. There really wasn't anything Logan could say that wouldn't sound empty or insincere. Instead he offered a non-judgmental expression and his company, which Scott didn't seem to mind as he continued to chain smoke the rest of his pack. It was nearly three by the time Scott stubbed out his last cigarette.

"I'll take care of it."

Logan said when Scott stood up and reached for the ash tray. The younger mutant nodded his head in thanks and headed for the back door. He paused with is hand on the door knob but didn't turn back.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Scott slipped quietly inside leaving Logan behind. He stayed where he was for a little longer before standing up and taking the ash tray with him to the garage to get rid the ashes. He didn't exactly approve of smoking at such a young age but he wasn't about to tell on the kid and risk him finding another more dangerous coping mechanism.

The following morning when Scott offered him a 'good morning' he returned it and when Scott poured himself a large cup of coffee Logan pretended not to notice.


	3. Favoritism

This idea has been rolling around in my head for a while and I just had to write it. Often Logan is portrayed as liking the girl mutants more than the boys and I couldn't help but wonder why. This is the result, it's a little shorter then the others but I like how it turned out without a side story.

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Logan was often accused of showing favoritism towards the female mutants. It wasn't in his training sessions or in his enforcement of the rules because if anything he was even more strict with them, especially on the topic of curfew.

No, it was in the way he would let Kitty talk him into driving her to the mall or the way he wouldn't growl at Jubilee if she came into the garage while he was working on his bike to ask if he knew where her cell phone was. It was also believed because while girls walked away from one-on-one training sessions with a few sore spots the boys usually left with a patchwork of bruises.

Of course this feeling of inequality was never said out loud incase he was with in earshot but it was the general consensus among the male population that Logan liked the girls better then them and there was nothing they could do about it. Logan honestly didn't realize he was perceived as something of a sexist but even if he did chances were he wouldn't change the way he treated the students.

While he wanted the Professor's dream of peace to become a reality Logan knew co-existence would only come after years of fighting. It was a cold hard fact that the boys would someday become men on the front lines of the mutant - human conflict. He didn't have the luxury of coddling them when their lives depended on learning to control their powers and using them to fight. He treated them as the soldiers they were training to be because in the future it would be their blood on the battlefield and their names carved into head stones if he failed to teach them now.

He felt the same about the girls and knew they would be just as capable as their male counterparts but he also knew that most of them would want to become mothers and that would change their outlook on life. He didn't think it would make them any less effective in battle or cause them to lose the combat skills he had personally beaten into them. In the wild a mother protecting her cubs was a force to be reckoned with and Logan believed that would be the same for any one of the X-girls.

At the same time however Logan understood that a mother's first priority is her child and no one has the right to ask her to change that.

Of course they would find a way to balance parenthood and mission reports at first. Others at the mansion would be suckered into babysitting (he had no doubt that he would be one of them) and they would continue fighting for mutant equality. Some may even be able to maintain the balance and become the mutant equivalent of a working mother. But those X-Women would be few and far between.

The rest would eventually take themselves off the active duty roster. Their uniform would be carefully packed away to only be used in emergencies and their training would be scaled back just enough to keep them from getting rusty. They would continue to support the fight for mutant rights but they would find work that kept them out of battle zones. If asked they would all have the same reason and as hard a man as he was Logan knew he wouldn't find any fault in their decision. To give up life as a superhero to provide a stable loving home, one that they themselves had been denied when their powers developed, was a choice he could respect and support.

The men on the other hand would remain. They would throw themselves into the fight and push their powers to the limits so to keep their families safe. They would love their children and be just as involved in their upbringing as the women (he would make sure of this even if he had to bring out the claws) but their role would be as the protector. Their families would become a reason to keep fighting, to survive even when the situation is hopeless and to find a way home at the end of the day no mater what obstacles stand in their way. It will be on their shoulders that a new world is built and Logan is determined to make the foundation as strong as possible.

So for now he demands more and pushes harder.


	4. Freedom

When the young mutants are first brought to the mansion they usually fit into one of two groups, those who were happy to be there and those who wanted to leave as soon as possible. Logan could usually figure out which group a new student belonged to within an hour off meeting them and he could always tell by their eyes. The ones who looked around each room as if they were trying to memorize every detail were most likely to stay at the mansion until at least their college years if not longer as part of the team. However if they kept their gaze out the windows and constantly glanced towards the front door then it was a good bet they would try to leave at the first chance.

Most changed their minds after a couple good meals and few nights sleep in a bed instead of behind a dumpster but there were a select few who couldn't adjust as easily. They were the ones who had spent years doing more surviving then living and out of all the new recruits they reminded Logan of himself the most.

A flight risk himself Logan recognized the signs of an escape being planned better than most and the newest addition to the mutant school had been giving off red flags for the past week. The mutant was about seventeen (about because all questions relating to age or personal history were dodged) and he went by Infrared as his powers allowed him to see heat signatures. The only reason he had come to Xavier's was because Jean saved his life and he had promised to give the school a shot to repay the debt. To be honest Logan was surprised he'd lasted a month. For at least three days he had been sneaking food up to his room and if it hadn't been for a two pound bag of beef jerky Logan would have never caught on to how soon the break out was planned.

He had been patrolling the grounds when the alarm system alerted him to a window on the west side being opened. Reaching that side of the mansion just in time to see a dark figure climb down the last three feet of a rope ladder Logan kept his distance as he followed the mutant he had no doubt was Infrared towards the main gate. When the wind shifted enough to catch the escape's sent his suspicions were confirmed. He had to admit the kid had picked a perfect time to make a break for it. Both Jean and the Professor were away at a conference, the active X-Men were away on a mission and if Logan hadn't finished his own mission earlier than planned he too would have been gone from the mansion until sunrise.

A few yards away from the main gate Infrared stopped and pulled his backpack from his shoulders. Before he could throw it over the wall Logan made his presence known.

"You goin somewhere kid?"

Startled by the question Infrared let go of his pack too soon and was unable to catch it before it hit the brick wall with a thud and landed on the ground between the two mutants

To his credit Infrared didn't shift around nervously or try to make up a bullshit story about sleepwalking.

"Arizona, maybe New Mexico. I haven't decided yet."

"Any particular reason why?"

"I want to remind myself what a desert sunset looks like."

He reached down to retrieve his pack but Logan beat him to it. It was heavier then he expected but the added wait was probably from all the smuggled food.

"And this trip couldn't wait till morning?"

"I figured now was a good a time as any."

Logan resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead motioned for Infrared to follow him along the wall towards the main gate where a security light provided enough light so that Logan wasn't looking at a shadowy outline anymore. Now in the light Logan could see the young man was dressed in the same clothes (albeit cleaner) that he had first come to the mansion in as well as the boots used for training sessions. Crossing his arms he leaned against the brick work around the control console and waited. He didn't have to wait long. With an annoyed huff Infrared shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

"Look I appreciate what you guys have done for me and I'm all for mutant rights but that doesn't mean I want to risk my life every time some guy with a God complex wants to take over the world."

Infrared's eyes drifted towards the road just past the gate.

"This school is great for mutants who don't have anywhere to go but I'm ok on the streets, have been since my old man kicked me out when I asked why the light bulbs kept glowing after they were turned off."

Shifting his gaze to Logan a serious look came over his features.

"I can't stand the walls, the crowds of people or the stupid grandfather clock that chimes two minutes late every hour. I hate this place and if stay here any longer I feel like I'm going to go crazy!"

Breathing heavy from his outburst Infrared glared at Logan.

"You don't understand what it feels like to go from complete freedom to this."

He swept his arm out towards the mansion with an angry jerk. When it was clear Infrared wasn't going to continue his rant Logan spoke.

"Feels like you've been tossed into a cage and no matter how hard you reach past the bars the life you once knew will always be too far to touch again."

The young man opened and closed his mouth a couple times as he tried to find his words. All he managed was a weak "yea."

"You're not as alone as you think kid and I doubt you'd find a place as welcoming to our kind any were else."

The last part was said more to himself than to the younger mutant. Even after years of living at the school he still felt the urge to get on his bike and ride until the woods were too thick for anything but foot travel.

"Arizona huh?"

Infrared nodded his head yes.

"I figure I can be there in a week or two. I know a guy who doesn't mind paying cash for a day's labor on his ranch."

It wasn't much of a plan but at least he had some idea of where he was going. Handing over the kid's backpack Logan punched in the gate code and pressed his hand against the scanner. After a moment the console blinked twice and the gate swung open. A confused expression came over Infrared's face as he shouldered his pack and looked from the open gate to Logan then back to the gate.

"What about the Professor? Or Miss Grey?"

"I'll handle them."

He hesitated only a moment before taking a step towards the gate. He paused and spun on his heal towards Logan with his hand extended and the first genuine smile he had shown while at the school.

"My name is Mike."

Logan shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you Mike."

"Thanks"

Only seconds passed before their hands released and he continued walking past the gate and down the road. Logan watched him go until the darkness swallowed him and the sound of his footsteps faded. When the Professor and Jean got back he would have to explain how he let an underage student leave the mansion in the middle of the night with no form of transportation, way of being contacted or even a known destination besides the vague description of a guy with a ranch in Arizona. But that was at least five hours away. In the meantime he would reset the security system and continue his rounds, if he was lucky the Cajun would be lurking under Rogue's room.


	5. Extracurricular Activities

Logan didn't see a need for the mutants to become involved in organizations outside the mansion.

Their schedules were already full with school, learning to control their powers and fighting against other mutants to keep the world safe. In his opinion extracurricular activities would only be a distraction. If they really wanted to do something with their extra time he would be more than happy to arrange more Danger Room sessions. Unfortunately for Logan his opinions were rarely considered and despite his protests Jean joined the soccer team, Scott became a math tutor, Kitty took up ballet, Kurt went to a church youth group every Sunday and even Rogue started going to a book club.

Admitting defeat was not something the Canadian mutant liked to do but even he saw this as a loosing battle and an unspoken understanding was shared between him that the younger mutants. They made sure to be on time for training and never bothered him for a ride to their club meetings and he would keep his thought to himself unless asked (and they all knew better than to ask). He thought it was a fair arrangement and was content to carry on in this manner forever however Professor Xavier didn't seem to be in on the agreement and called him to his office one Saturday morning in June with a request.

"You want me to what?"

"Take Jamie and his boy scout troop camping. One of the parents has food poisoning and they're a chaperone short. It's only for one night and I'm sure you are more then qualified to help young Madrox get his camping badge."

Logan shook his head no as he crossed his arms.

"No way Chuck, the last thing I want to do is spend my Saturday night in the woods with a bunch of kids who are afraid of their own shadows."

The Professor leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"What if I approved you new training program?"

There was a pause as Logan considered it.

"Does that include the lazar wall?"

The Professor cringed but nodded his head anyway and Logan couldn't help but grin. He had been trying to get Xavier to agree to his newest Danger Room simulation for weeks, he still didn't understand what was wrong with motion censored percussion grenades.

"Tell Jamie to meet me in the garage in an hour."

Logan left the office looking far too pleased with himself and the Professor wondered if he should have asked Storm instead.

When Jamie came looking for him an hour later Logan was sharpening a hunting knife as long as the young boy's forearm. His hands gripped the shoulder straps of his backpack in nervous excitement as he waited for Logan to finish. This was going to be his first camping trip and Storm had helped him pack last night after supper and even showed him how to twist the neckerchief just right so it wouldn't be uneven.

"You ready kid?"

"Yes Mr. Logan."

Logan tucked the knife away in his boot and grabbed his leather jacket off a hook along with his favorite hat. He handed Jamie a child's helmet and once it was secure he helped the thirteen year old onto the back of his motorcycle.

"Hold on kid."

He started his bike and Jamie could be heard laughing all the way to the gate. It took them a little under half an hour to reach the camp site parking lot and Logan figured the group of kids dressed like Jamie was where he needed to go. He parked his bike between a minivan and a small white car that had a _"My kid is an honor student"_ bumper sticker across the back. As soon as Jamie had the helmet off he ran towards the group with an excited expression. Logan followed after as soon as he pulled his own pack from the bike's back compartment and replaced it with the small helmet. He was about half way to the group when a man with dark blond hair and brown eyes who looked to be in his late thirties greeted him. He was wearing the same tan and green uniform as the boy scouts except for the red neckerchief and he was caring a clipboard.

"You must be Jamie's Uncle Logan, thanks for filling in at such late notice."

He spoke more to the clipboard then to Logan.

"When I spoke with Mr. Xavier he said you have some camping experience and I can't tell you how great that is."

This time he at least looked up and made eye contact briefly before looking back down at the clipboard.

"I have you down with Scout Master Jack looking after Troop 310's twelve to thirteen year olds. You'll have five scouts with you including Jamie."

He gave Logan a list of scouts before saying a quick goodbye and rushing off to speak with another chaperone. After half an hour of what appeared to be organized chaos the boy scouts split into six groups and headed into the woods.

The roar of the motorcycle announced their arrival long before Jamie came bursting into the living room. He was a little dirty and there looked to be leaves stuck in his hair but other than that the young mutant appeared unharmed. The Professor looked up from his chess game with Storm to greet him and spotted Logan as he came in the room at a slower pace.

"How did it go?"

Jamie's face split into a wide smile as he sucked in a deep breath before answering.

"It was the best camping trip EVER! First we hiked in the woods and Mr. Logan scared off a bear, then we built a shelter that was much better than anything the older kids could have built and afterwards he made the fire so big Scout Master Jack started yelling for water but when he ran to get the bucket he hit a tree and knocked himself unconscious. We even got to eat a rabbit that Mr. Logan caught with his bare hands!"

Jamie held up a rabbit's foot and continued to tell all about his camping experience to everyone in the room whose attention had been caught by the rabbit's foot. Logan looked on with an almost proud expression, nodding his head whenever Jamie looked to him to confirm a part of his story. After everyone in the front room had heard about the camping trip he left (rabbit foot in hand) to find the rest of the mansion residents. Moving his castle into check the Professor turned to Logan as he waited for Storm to make her move.

"Thank you again for your help Logan. I'm sure it was just a one time thing."

"I kind of enjoyed it, even signed up for the next trip since I promised to show the kid and the other scouts how to go spear fishing."

Logan began to leave the room but paused in the doorway.

"I went ahead and put in an order for heat seeking missiles, they should be here in a couple of days."

From the chess board there was a soft click and Storms gentle voice.

"Check mate Charles."


	6. Night Off

Once a month Logan would take the night off and get as far away from the mansion as he could without being too far in case of an emergency. He never told anyone which bar he was going to or for how long and the only notice Professor Xavier ever received was a short 'I'm going out' as Logan headed for the door. To keep the students from figuring out that he had a life outside of drilling them into the ground he made sure to rotate the nights between the weekend and weekdays, skipping a month here and there just to throw off anyone who might have noticed him leaving the mansion and not coming back till dawn. Some would say he was being paranoid and overly cautions, Logan would say he was keeping a mansion full of hormonal teens from taking advantage of his absence to do something stupid.

Tonight was going to be his first night off in nearly two months and Logan wasn't taking any chances. He spent the day running the younger mutants through his hardest training programs to ensure they would be too exhausted to cause trouble if they happened to discover he was missing. The mansion's security system had been set to level three with his phone programed to go off if someone so much as sneezed near the perimeter fence and he had learned from a friend of a friend that a certain Cajun was somewhere in France. He was probably stealing something rare and priceless but Logan didn't care as long as there was an ocean between the Cajun and Rogue while he was away for a few hours.

With everything settled to his satisfaction Logan left the mansion a little after ten with every intension of drinking his weight in beer, playing a couple rounds of pool and maybe even getting into a fight or two if he was lucky. Heading for one of his favorite bars on the outskirts of town Logan took the long way in order to enjoy the cool night air that was beginning to hint at fall. The school would always be his home but there were times he missed the wild mountains of Canada. Before his thoughts could linger on the smell of fresh snow the neon sign advertising the Black Cherry Bar came into view and the sound of country music reached his sensitive ears.

The bar was busy without being crowded. As he made his way towards one of the open pool tables Logan recognized a few of the patrons from his last visit, returning a couple head nods as he passed. Before setting up the table for a game he flagged down waitress to order a drink and by the time she returned he had already sunk the solid four. Two games and a hand full of drinks later Logan was beginning to relax and enjoy his night off. He was lining up another shot when a familiar sent drifted past his nose. It was a mixture of Earth, cheap laundry soap and engine oil.

He recognized it immediately as belonging to Avalanche.

Abandoning his game he took in a deep breath to follow the smell to its source and found the brotherhood mutant at the end of the bar mixing a couple of margaritas for a pair of tipsy unnatural blonds. He waited for Lance to give the women back their change before taking a seat on the stool across from him.

"What can I get… you?"

Logan didn't miss the way Lance's eyes shifted to a middle aged man at the other end of the bar counting receipts or the nervous shifting from one foot to the other.

"I'll take a whiskey sour."

He hesitated for a moment before reaching under the bar for a glass.

"What are you doing here?"

"I think I'm the one who should be asking that bub."

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm working."

While he half growled his answer Lance went about making Logan's drink and set it down with a little more force than needed. Taking a small sip Logan had to admit it wasn't half bad.

"Aren't you a little young to be in here?"

Lances eyes narrowed and his arms crossed in a defensive manner.

"It's not like I'm drinking anything. Besides, my ID says I turned twenty two last month."

A waitress in a short skirt and a T-Shirt that looked like it had been run through a shredder came up to the bar and called out to Lance while Logan took another drink.

"Roy, I need a Guinness, two Corona's, and a shot of Jack for table three."

"Sure thing Mary."

Lance filled her drink order and Logan waited until she was out of earshot before asking,

"Roy?"

"It's easier to find a job with a name that isn't on America's most wanted list."

"What about your face?"

"Most people only remember the uniform."

The kid had a point.

"You boys haven't been causing trouble lately. Should I be concerned about a world domination plot?"

If Lance didn't know any better he would think Logan had just made a joke.

"We've been too busy trying to keep the city from evicting us."

"I thought old Bucket Head paid your bills."

"He did at first but he moved onto bigger and better things a while ago."

The man from the far end of the bar called Lance over and after a short exchange the younger mutant disappeared into a back room for a few minutes before returning with a trey of clean glasses. As he went about restocking the shelves Logan enjoyed his drink and secretly got a kick out of seeing the kid do honest work. Once the younger mutant finished he returned to his spot at the end of the bar. He kept himself busy cleaning off the counter until a pair of bikers left for the other side of the bar. Once they were out of earshot he leaned in slightly and kept his voice low so only Logan would be able to hear him.

"You ever hear of a group called S.H.I.E.L.D?"

It was through sheer willpower that Logan managed to keep a look of surprise off his face and his voice neutral.

"Yea. Are you in trouble with them?"

"I don't think so. A guy came by the house the other day and offered us a job as S.H.I.E.L.D agents."

"Did you get his name?"

"He said it was Nick Fury."

"Fury huh, and you're sure you're not in trouble with him?"

"We get in trouble with most people we run into but he didn't seem angry when he came by the house, even though we might have borrowed one of his jets when the Apocalypse thing went down"

Rubbing the back of his neck Lance looked away and hesitated a moment before continuing.

"Do you think we should take him up on his offer?"

Finishing his drink Logan wished he was capable of getting drunk, he was far to sober to be having his conversation.

"It doesn't matter what I think since it's not my life we're talking about. But as far as secret government organizations go S.H.I.E.L.D isn't the worst."

Lance's shoulder's relaxed slightly.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Standing up Logan set his money down on the counter. The night was still young and there were at least three more bars he wanted to hit before the sun rose.

"Take it easy kid."

Lance gave him a mock salute that would have landed him 5am Danger Room session if he had been one of the students but since he wasn't and it was Logan's night off he just got an annoyed look as the Canadian headed for the door.

The next time Logan was at the Black Cherry he overheard one of the waitresses complaining about having to hire a new bartender since Roy quit. As he ordered a drink he couldn't help but wonder if the Brotherhood Mutants could turn Fury's hair any greyer or if it would just start turning white.


End file.
